A day for heavy lifting at the port

The 269-ton stator, a replacement piece for a generator turbine at the SCANA electric plant in Jasper County, S.C., is placed on a 29-axle hydraulic lift truck. It was later placed on a railcar with a four-point hydraulic gantry lift system. The stator was built by Alstom Power, Inc., in Poland.

The Georgia Ports Authority’s Ocean Terminal received a 269-ton piece of heavy-lift cargo this month bound for the SCANA electric plant in Jasper County, S.C.

“The Port of Savannah’s Ocean Terminal specializes in handling heavy-lift project cargoes through its berth and yard configurations and the highly skilled workforce of both GPA operations personnel and stevedoring agencies,” said GPA’s Executive Director Doug J. Marchand. “Our on-terminal rail capabilities allow massive pieces of cargo to be moved seamlessly from the dock to the customer.”

The cargo is a replacement piece for a generator turbine at the Jasper plant. When installed, the part, called a stator, will contain coils centered around a magnetic rod. The rod will spin when turbine fans are rotated. The energy generated in the stator produces electricity.

“The stator’s replacement is being made to give us a new design, which is more suitable for our operations and maintenance objectives,” said the SCANA Jasper Plant Manager Steve Palmer. “This unit will allow the utility to reliably provide Jasper’s low-cost, gas-fired generation to its customers, keeping electric rates and emissions low.”

Efficient movement of this type of cargo requires a proactive approach. Six months prior to the stator’s arrival, the parties involved began meeting to discuss the move. The collaboration included GPA personnel, Turner Transfer, Wallenius Wilhemsen Logistics and Alstom Power, Inc. The physical movement of the part was made by Turner Transfer, a heavy cargo mover that has the capability of handling cargoes weighting up to 1.5 million pounds.

“The delicate task of moving such a unique piece of cargo comes through collaboration and close communication,” said GPA’s General Manager of Breakbulk, Warehouse and Crane Operations Craig Kessler. “Safety is our number-one priority, and these teams worked together to ensure this piece was delivered to the customer without injuries or damage to the cargo.”